Saint Joseph Catholic Church

Pope Leo XIV appointed Vera Songwe, a former United Nations Undesecretary General and executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, as a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

Established by Pope St. John Paul II in 1994, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences has the “aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science,” according to its statutes. “The Academy, through an appropriate dialogue, thus offers the Church the elements which she can use in the development of her social doctrine, and reflects on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society.”

Members, according to the statutes, are chosen “on the basis of their competencies in the social sciences and of their moral integrity”; they need not be Catholic.

The apostolic vicar of Southern Arabia said in an interview that “our churches remain open and the celebration of the Eucharist continues regularly” in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFM Cap, told the National Catholic Reporter that “there have been several attacks, especially targeting the main cities such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai. However, we must acknowledge that the Emirati defense system has responded effectively, intercepting almost all of them.”

“For this reason, although people are understandably shaken by what is happening in the region, they also feel reassured by the protection provided by the local authorities,” he added. “In general, the life of our communities continues in a regular way, even though some pastoral activities have been adapted to the current circumstances.”

Cardinal Domenico Battaglia of Naples, Italy, penned a scathing denunciation of the “merchants of death” who manufacture and sell weapons.

“To you who do business with the blood of men, to you who count profits while mothers count their children, to you who call ‘strategy’ what the Gospel calls scandal, I address words that are born not from diplomacy, but from the wound,” he wrote in his open letter, published on March 9.

The prelate spoke of a land that “trembles under the steps of the poor, under the cries of children, under the silence of the innocent, under the ferocious noise of the weapons you have built, sold, blessed by your cynicism.”

Pope Leo XIV decried violence against women, in a reply to a letter whose author implored him, “Pope Leo, help us to stop violence against women.”

Women “are a sign of contradiction in this confused, uncertain and violent society, because they point us towards values of faith, freedom, equality, generativity, hope, solidarity and justice,” the Pope wrote in his reply. “Violence, any violence, is the line that divides civilization from barbarism.”

“We must never underestimate an act of violence, and we must not be afraid to denounce violence, including the climate of justification that mitigates or denies responsibility,” he continued. “Walking together in mutual respect for our humanity is not a dream, but the only possible reality for building a world of light for all.”

The exchange was published in Piazza San Pietro, a magazine published under the Vatican basilica’s auspices. Pope Leo has continued his predecessor’s custom of answering one letter in each issue.

In a 48-6 vote, Luxembourg’s legislature enshrined the “freedom to abort” in the nation’s constitution. Abortion has been legal there since 1978.

Located in Western Europe, the nation of 690,000 (map) is 72% Christian (70% Catholic) and 4% Muslim.

The three members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina met with Pope Leo XIV on March 9.

The nation’s leaders then met with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

According to a Vatican statement, the parties discussed the “need for inclusive and constructive dialogue in order to ensure the stability of the country and the juridical and social equality of all its constituent peoples,” as well as “peace and security in the Western Balkans and the repercussions of the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.”

Bosnia and Herzegovina, a Balkan nation of 3.7 million (map), is 50% Christian (40% Orthodox, 10% Catholic) and 46% Muslim. Pope Francis made an apostolic journey to Sarajevo, the nation’s capital, in 2015.

Pope Leo XIV presided over a meeting of the heads of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia in the Apostolic Palace on March 9. The Vatican did not release a list of the topics on the agenda.

The Pontiff chaired a similar meeting on November 10.

Between 2013 and 2024, Pope Francis met regularly with the members of the nine-member advisory Council of Cardinals that he established shortly after becoming Pope. In contrast, Pope Leo has planned regular meetings with the entire College of Cardinals.

In a message to International Encounter for Peace and Reconciliation at Loyola University Chicago, Pope Leo XIV offered three “principles to keep in mind as you move forward with this noble initiative”:

• “First, true peace is not simply the absence of conflict, but rather is God’s gift.”
• “Second, if we wish to promote concord on a global level, it is necessary to seek the engagement and commitment of the international community for the sake of the common good, which transcends borders, faith traditions and cultures.”
• “Third, true harmony is rooted in the reconciliation that God has brought to us through his only Son, Jesus Christ, by his death and resurrection.”

The international encounter was organized in collaboration with the Pontifical Commission for Latin America as part of the Building Bridges Initiative, launched by Pope Francis in 2022. Pope Leo’s message, dated March 2, was released on March 7.

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